Further funding has been approved for new equipment to assist the Community Speed Watch (CSW), in the hope to further improve road safety across County Durham and Darlington.
The Community Speed Watch have recently received funding from the National Driver Rehabilitation Scheme (NDORS) to invest in new equipment to keep roads users safe.
After a recent review of the CSW scheme, new equipment is being invested in that will assist with reducing speeding complaints, act as a visible deterrent and allow volunteers to respond more quickly to associated speeding issues across the force area.
The new equipment will include speed detection devices which allows volunteers to record the speed of vehicles by the roadside.
Not only encouraging drivers to slow down, any drivers caught speeding will be sent a letter from the force, and repeated offences will be referred to the Road Policing Unit for further action.
Between January 2021 and May 2021, 285 Road Traffic Collisions resulting in injury were reported to the police across County Durham and Darlington.
Speeding is one of the most common causes of road accidents alongside not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone and drink and drug driving.
CSW is a community volunteer scheme operated force-wide, supported by local neighbourhood policing teams who work with the police to monitor the speed of vehicles using speed detection devices.
CSW relies on volunteers to deploy equipment to specific areas of road safety concern. The funding will allow volunteers to deploy detection equipment more frequently with its new user-friendly design, which is lighter and easy to use.
Durham Constabulary welcome new volunteers to be a part of the CSW scheme. If you would like further information, please speak to your local Neighbourhood Policing Team.
The project also complements the recently formed Road Safety Bureau, with an emphasis on education and changing driver’s behaviour.
PCC Allen welcomes the funding as she has recently been announced Deputy Lead on the APCC National Portfolio for Roads Policing and Road Safety.
Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen said: “Improving road safety and increasing visibility of speeding measures across County Durham and Darlington are amongst my top priorities as Police and Crime Commissioner.
“Speeding was one of the most reported concerns for residents following my Police & Crime survey that I conducted last year, with 75% of respondents agreeing that there should be more enforcement of road traffic offences where they lived.*
“The investment of new equipment to tackle speeding will help keep more road users safe and provides a quicker, visible response to speeding”.
Superintendent Neal Bickford, from Durham Constabulary, said: “Community Speed Watch allows residents to support police in their local area regarding the speeding vehicles that affect them and their community.
“The investment in new equipment will enable these volunteers and the Community Speed Watch initiative to continue this vital work making our local areas safer for all.”
If you have any speeding concerns in your area, please report through Keep in The Know or report anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org
You can also email the force’s Road Safety Bureau at [email protected] or report concerns through the 101 Live Chat on the Durham Constabulary website, which is available from 9am to 6pm seven days a week.
Always call 999 in an emergency.